Channeling-machine.



H. H. MERCER.

CHANNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1q12.

11 $69 297 Patented June 11, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. H. MERCER.

CHANNEUNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1912.

Patented June 11, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mmmmm H. H. MERCER.

CHANNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1912. 1 2 939? Patented June 11, 1918. 4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

H. H. MERCER.

, CHANNELING MACHINE.

7 APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1912. .LQGQ

Pafnred J mm 11, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET LLLLLLLLL nnrnn @TdEd FTENT HENRY H. MERCER, OF GLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MEN TS, TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CI-IANNELIN Gr-MACHIIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June JUL, 1918.

Application filed July 5, 1912. Serial No. 707,694.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY I-I. NIERGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Claremont, county of Sullivan, State of New Hampshire, (Whose post-ofiice address is Claremont, New Hampshire,) have invented an Improvement in Channeling-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to channeling Inachines and more particularly to track channeling machines. Its object is to provide means for making a quick adjustment of the channeling tool from one side of the track to the other so that without the necessity of shifting the trackway itself, there can be cut in the stone a second channel groove parallel to the first.

The trackway for a channeling machine is customarily formed of connected sections composed each of parallel united rails, the sections being laid to form a continuous straighttrackway and brought to a level or alinement by means of blocks placed beneath the rails.

The labor of shifting such a trackway and adjusting it'to a new position forms a very large proportionof the labor involved in the channeling operation. This is especially the case with modern high powered channe1- ing machines where the machines and consequently the trackway are heavy and cum bersome, and is also especially the case in channeling relatively soft stone where the cut is quickly made while the shifting of the trackway requires the same amount of time and labor.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the channeling tool may be easily and expeditiously reversed in its relation to the trackway so that after completing a channel groove at one side of the trackway it may be caused at will to overhang the opposite side of the trackway and cut a second parallel channel groove thereat. The number of times the trackway must be shifted, blocked up, and placed in alinement is thereby reduced one-half, it being necessary to move the trackway once only for each two outs. This materially reduces the time and expense of the channel operation;

by shifting the machine to a support intermediate the track and turning the truck upon such support with relation to the track.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a typical form of channeling machine in connection with which my invention may be usefully employed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the portion of the channeling machine shown in Fig. 1, showing attachments for providing the intermediate support on which the channeler may be reversed;

Fig. 3 shows in plan view a portion of the trackway provided with a fixed member on which the channeler may be turned;

Fig. 6 shows the same holder in sectional elevation;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the holder looking from beneath;

Fig. 8 shows in plan a modified form of supporting attachment for the truck;

Fig. 9 shows the same support in side elevation;

Fig. 10 is a portion of the track adapted to the modified form of Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail of the turning member shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a section in elevation on the line 1212 in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a similar section on the line 1313 in Fig. 10.

The invention may be used in connection with any ordinary form of track channeler, such for example as that shown in the patent to Ball No. 555,683. In the drawings I have shown a self-propelled track channeler of the general construction illustrated in my prior co=pending application Sen No.

475,366, filed February 1, 1909, patented Aug. 3, 1915, No. 1,149,075. As illustrated by the drawings, such channeler has the truck wheels 14 and supporting main frame or truck support 15. The latter carries the boiler 16, the propelling and tool-feeding engine 17 and tool supporting standard 18, the latter adapted to be adjusted to either end of the truck upon the trunnion shaft 19, or to be tilted to different inclined positions thereon. The standard carries a sliding frame including a pressure fluid engine having the cylinder 20 and the attached cross head guides 21, the latter guiding the cross head 22 connected to the too-l gang 23 and also attached to the piston rod 24. The sliding frame may be adjusted toward or from the work by means of the feed screw 25 connected to the cylinder head and having threaded engagement with a nut in the upper end of the standard, which nut is turned by the beveled gear 26 meshing with the pinion 27. The pinion 27 is mounted upon the shaft 28, the latter being turned by a sprocket chain connection 29 to the tool feeding mechanism upon the track.

The truck wheels are adapted to move along the rails 30, the opposite rails being connected by tie members such as 31 (see Fig. 3) into sectional lengths, and successive sections being connected to form a continuous length of trackway for the channeler to travel upon, customarily in a rectilinear path.

In order to reverse the relation of the channeler to the trackway, means are provided for turning the channeler truck upon the trackway. This object may be secured in any suitable way, but herein I have shown means whereby the truck is temporarily supported upon turning devices which are then turned in relation to the trackway so as to turn the truck through 180 and reverse its relation to the track. In Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, I have shown means whereby this may be accomplished through the use of rotatable supporting clevices, herein in. the form of truck wheels which may be temporarily brought into engagement with a fixed circular track and permit the turning of the channeling machine upon such track into the required position. In a second modification shown in Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, the channeling machine is temporarily brought into operative relation and fixed relatively to a separate rotatablesupport, the latter in turn being movable on a fixed trackway or guide whereby the channeling machine as before may be turned into the required position.

Referring first to the modification shown in Figs. 2 to 7, there is provided (see Fig. 3) a member having a fixed relation to opposite sides of the trackway, herein in the form of 'a circular trackway or guide 32.

This consists of an annular ring which is bolted .by the brackets 33 to the adjacent rails 34 and 35 of one of the track sections so as to be maintained in fixed relation to opposite sides thereof and to be transported with the track section as the latter is moved from place to place. The opposite rails ar/ also united by transverse angle irons 36 to which the circular track 32 is secured by means of brackets 37, thereby uniting the track section and the circular trackway into an integral rigid frame.

In conjunction with the fixed circular trackway 32 there is provided upon the channeling machine a number (herein four) of truck wheels 38 suitably positioned to engage with the circular track when the channeler is moved over the same, and so arranged that they may be depressed to take the weight of the truck and channeler and lift the main truck wheels 14 off from the rails 34 and 35.

Any suitable means for holding and adjusting the auxiliary truck wheels 38 may be employed, but herein (see Figs. 2 and 5 to 7, inclusive) there are provided, at suitably located points upon the truck frame 15, openings adapted to receive the barrelshaped fixed truck wheel holding device 40, the latter having flanges 41 (see Fig. 5) underlying the truck frame to which latter it is bolted, as indicated by the drawings. The lower end of the wheel holder is enlarged in one direction to provide a suit able chamber for the truck wheel 38, the latter being journaled upon the pin 43 carried by the downwardly projecting forked arms 44 of the inner movable or sliding wheel-holding member 45. The latter is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the holder 40 to depress the wheel 38 below the position shown in Fig. 6, the lower end of the fixed holder being suitably grooved and shaped as indicated to permit the up and down movement of the truck wheel H0 without interference therewith.

To move the truck wheel down into engagement with the circular track, the upper end of the sliding holder 45 carries a nut 46 which engages with a screw 47, the latter 1 having the prolongation 48 projecting through the upper end of the fixed holder 40 and provided with the squared end 49 by means of which it can be turned through the application of a wrench or other suitable tool. Between the screw 47 and the prolongation 48 there is provided the shouldered portion 50 between which and the upper end of the fixed holder 40 there is provided the ball bearing 51 permitting the wheel 38 to turn with slight friction while running upon the circular track and at the same time sustaining its proportion of the weight of the channeler. The collar 52 with the clamping screw 53 is fixed in position on the prolong'ation -18 to prevent the longitudinal movement of the screw 47. t

The channeler is traversed and operated in the usual way to cut a channel groove at the side of the trackway by means of the overhanging tool gang, and when such groove has been cut to the required depth and it is desired to start the cutting of a channel groove on the opposite side of the trackway the channeler is run upon the track section having the circular trackway 32 and the main trucks lifted free from the main trackway by depressing the auxiliary truck wheels 88. This is done by turning the screws 47 and causing the nuts 46 with the sliding wheel holders 45 to be forced downwardly in the fixed holding barrels 40 until the wheels come in contact with the circular trackway, when further rotation of the screws causes the elevation of the channeler upon the said auxiliary truck wheels. The channeler can then be turned through 180 while supported upon said auxiliary truck wheels and circular trackway, bringing the tool into reverse relation to the trackway and causing it to overhang the opposite side thereof. The channeler is then lowered to bring the main truck wheels upon the main trackway by reversely turning the screw 47.

In order to prevent the auxiliary truck wheels from turning or rattling when out of use, the lower end of the screw is provided with a head 54 which is brought into forcible contact with the auxiliary truck wheel as the latter is raised, thereby acting as a brake or stop to prevent the said wheel from turning.

In Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, there is shown a second modification wherein the weight of the channeler is also shifted from the main truck wheels to auxiliary rotatable or turning supporting means, such rotatable support herein however being separate from the truck, which latter is temporarily located thereon by means of jack screws.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, in place of the auxiliary truck wheels, the channeler truck is provided with a suitable number of jack screws 55 (herein four) which may be located in substantially the same relative positions as were occupied by the auxiliary truck wheels in the modification shown in Fig. 2. Each screw is provided with a suitably shaped head or other means to facilitate the turning of the same, and has threaded engagement with the body of the truck or a part fixedly carried thereby. WVhen it is required to reverse the channeler these screws may be turned to raise the main trucks off from the track, the lowerend of the screws being adapted to rest upon a revoluble rin support 56 (Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive), the latter being of L shaped cross section and preferably provided with blocks 57 having the depressions 58 in whichare adapted to rest the lower ends'of the aclr screws 55 when the truck is supported thereon.

The rotatablering support is mounted to turn upon a plurality of rollers 59, the latter in turn running upon an underlying circular trackway formed by the lower flange of the annular ring 60, the latter occupying a fixed position relatively to the suitable number of rollers 59 are journaled upon the pins 62.

The bands 61 are connected. to form a roller bearing cage by the meansofseparating blocks 63,'and at suitable points there are also provided rollers 64: turning about vertical pins 65, the latter carried by blocks 63. The horizontal rollers 64 take the lateral thrust between the fixed and rotary rings, while the vertical rollers 59 sustain the weight of the rotary ring and the superimposed parts and provide a rotatable support having small friction and of a large diameter whereon the heavy channeler can be turned with facility.

The ring 60 may be secured in fixed position in any desired way. Herein the same is fastened to the opposite rails 67 and 68 of one of the track sections by means of the brackets 69, transverse angle irons 70 and clamping brackets 71 being also employd to unite the ring and opposite rail members into a single integral section whereby it may be blocked up and leveled with the remainder of the trackway or transported as a unit.

It will be obvious that while I have herein shown and described my invention as applied to one specific form of channeler, it is applicable to other types of stone cutting machines. Furthermore, while it is here illustrated as embodied in one concrete and specific form, it is to be understood that extensive deviations may be made from the illustrative form and from the constructional details shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims:

1. In a channeling machine, a wheeled truck, channeling apparatus thereon includ ing a tool adapted to overhang one side of the truck, a trackway on which said truck may be traversed, a circular guideway rigidly connected to said trackway and disposed between the rails thereof. and vertically adjustable means carried by said truck for transferring the weight of said truck from said trackway to said guideway.

2. In a channeling machine, a wheeled truck, channeling apparatus thereon includring a tool. at one side said truck, a trevera lee ing t-rackway for said truck, a circular guideway rigidly connected to said trackway and disposed between the rails thereof, rotatable means between said truck and guideway engageable with the latter and vertically adjustable means between said rotatable means and truck for transferringthe weight of said truck from saidtrackway to said guide/way. a

3. In a track channeling machine, a wheeled truck, channeling devices thereon including a tool adapted to overhang one side of said truck, a trackway on which said truck may be traversed, a circular guideway rigidly connected to said trackway and disposed between the rails thereof, and means engageable with said guide'way and adjustable in one direction to shift the weight of said truck from said trackway to said guideway.

4. In a track channeling machine a wheeled truck, channeling devices thereon including a tool adapted to overhang one side of said truck, a trackway on which said truck may be traversed, a circular guideway rigidly connected to said trackway and disposed between the rails thereof, and means engageable with said guideway and adjustable in one direction to shift the weight of said truck from the trackway to said guideway and adjustable in the opposite direction 7 to return the weight of said truck to said trackway.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HENRY H. MERCER.

WVitnesses CHAS. J. Jones, SARAH 'B. FITCH.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

